The eighth match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season nine is scheduled to take place between Quetta Gladiators and Islamabad United on Thursday, 22nd February at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, Pakistan.
Quetta have started their campaign impressively, securing victories in both of their matches so far.
In their first match, Quetta posted a formidable total of 206 runs in 20 overs with only five wickets down. They then successfully defended their score by restricting Peshawar Zalmi to 190 runs in response.
In their most recent match, the Gladiators achieved a historic win over Lahore Qalandars, marking their first-ever victory against them in Lahore in PSL history.
Batter Jason Roy, Saud Shakeel, and Khawaja Nafay have been formidable, while bowlers Mohammed Amir, Akeal Hossein, Mohammed Waseem Jr., and Mohammad Hasnain have showcased their skills.
On the other hand, Islamabad United had a mixed start to their tournament campaign, winning their opening game but losing the subsequent match out of the two played so far.
Islamabad United convincingly defeated the reigning champions, Lahore Qalandars, by eight wickets in an intense game. Led by Shadab Khan, they successfully chased down the target of 196 runs.
However, their momentum faltered in the second game as they faced a five-wicket loss to last season's runner-up, Multan Sultans.
Despite the loss, Islamabad United put up a strong fight, and Multan managed to chase down the 145-run target on the second last ball. They will be eager to make a strong comeback in the upcoming match.
Pitch Report
In the tournament so far, all three matches held at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium have witnessed high scores, pointing to the pitch's batting-friendly nature. Batters find it easy to rack up runs here, and chasing becomes even smoother in the presence of dew, further aiding their cause.
Probable Playing XIs
Quetta Gladiators: Jason Roy, Saud Shakeel, Khawaja Nafay, Rilee Rossouw (C), Sarfaraz Ahmed, Sherfane Rutherford, Akeal Hosein, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Amir, Abrar Ahmed
Islamabad United: Colin Munro, Alex Hales, Agha Salman, Jordan Cox, Azam Khan (wk), Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan (C), Faheem Ashraf, Ubaid Shah, Naseem Shah, Tymal Mills
Prediction
Although both teams seem evenly matched on paper, the Quetta Gladiators have a slight advantage owing to their momentum from consecutive victories leading up to this match against Islamabad United.
